What happens when a mature woman falls victim to the allure of the modern Asian Ball Jointed Doll? Will the devious doll divas succeed in separating balljointedwoman from her hard earned cash? Which diva will earn herself a new fashion this week? Stay tuned for the latest installment of As the Resin World Turns.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Sewing for Chibi Roron

Poor Roron -- I tried to make her a dress from a pattern in Dollybird, a Japanese magazine. Need I mention that I don't read a word of Japanese? The pattern pieces were clearly drawn, however, and the instructions did include some recognizable measurements and a few English words such as: "smocking" and "How to make". How hard could it be?

Pattern pieces cut out and partially assembled for the smocked
dress (without any smocking).

The photo on the left shows what the dress looks like with
smocking. Adorable -- I want to try it sometime.

Despite the photo tutorial in the preceding pages, I was not about to attempt smocking for the first time without clear instructions in English. I decided to make the dress with a plain front this time. I quickly realized that I would need to lengthen the front bodice to make up for omitting the smocking. The skirt posed a problem. Its pattern piece was not wide enough for even half a skirt. It lacked the symbol showing that the piece is to be placed on a fold. Some patterns show a break in a pattern piece if it is to be made wider than drawn. There was nothing like that here. Not knowing what else to make of it, I guess-timated a total width of slightly more than twice the width of the piece. Comparing the finished dress with the prototype in the magazine, it could have been wider still.

Lilin (left) is wearing her "cool" face. Her mohair wig
is from Beachgirlnikita. Roron's wig is Elle from Jpopdolls.

When I was done, I was left with an unused pattern piece that I could not identify. Presumably it is the piece to be smocked, although it seems small for that purpose. I don't see how it would fit after smocking. There were two other pattern pieces that I did not use: the neck facing (I lined the bodice instead) and the socks (Roron's shoes are not roomy enough for socks).

Roron's dress with the jumper from Adams-Harris Company'sStanding There pattern. Fabric designed by Mary Englebreit.

While Roron waited for her dress, I put her into a dress made for Little Fees. It was too snug and didn't snap in back, but I could see where Little Fee patterns could easily be adapted for U-noa Chibi. Not Lilin, because of her large bust, but definitely Roron, who is flat-chested. This experiment reminded me of the jumper and blouse-bloomer combination that turned out too big for my Little Fees. Would they fit Roron? The blouse-bloomer needs about one-quarter inch added to the length of the bodice. The jumper fit -- after a fashion. It looks like an apron. In a different fabric it could pass as a corset with a full peplum. Just for fun, because the jumper was made in a companion fabric to Roron's dress, I tried them together. They look like they were made for each other.

Roron and Lilin have changed into their default U-noa mohair
wigs. Roron is wearing her "pout" face. No doubt she wishes
the bluebird would sit in her hand, too.

This issue of Dollybird (vol. #15) also contains two patterns for U-noa Quluts girls: a fully lined cheongsam (I hope I'm spelling that right) and a totally amazing outfit from Honey Meryl consisting of an overdress embellished with tatting lace, inset lace, and pintucks set on the diagonal to form a vee, paired with a plain underdress. Its wow factor is so over the top -- I'm almost afraid to attempt it. If I do, I will substitute venise lace for the tatting. So much easier and just as pretty.